


Turning Blonde

by Athar Riordan (Atharian)



Series: Primeval: Breaking Dawn [2]
Category: Primeval
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-13
Updated: 2011-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:53:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23561104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atharian/pseuds/Athar%20Riordan
Summary: It's 2010, and Matt Anderson has just been made the new Team Leader of the Anomaly Research Center. As this marks the beginning of events occurring, Amelia Anderson decides she needs to change something about her appearance to prevent anyone making connections between the present and future events surrounding a still fledgling ARC team that, at this point in time, is missing three members - with some mixed reactions from her father and grandfather.
Relationships: Matt Anderson/Emily Merchant (hinted)
Series: Primeval: Breaking Dawn [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695793
Kudos: 1





	Turning Blonde

**Author's Note:**

> This was the second piece written for Breaking Dawn. This may not fit in with pieces written afterwards, as a plot bunny visited my muse that works well for this series. But I can easily re-write this in the future.

"Amelia, what are you doing?" Gideon Anderson asked with a sigh, as he leant against the door frame in the hall of his house, just outside the bathroom, where his future granddaughter had rushed into nearly an hour ago - seemingly distracted by something.

"I'm almost done," Came Amelia's muffled answer from inside the bathroom, and Gideon could only shake his head. There were times when his son's future daughter made perfect sense to him. But other times like this, however, seemed to be a task for his son, Matt, who was currently beginning his work at the _Anomaly Research Center_ as the new Team Leader. 

Moving slowly away from the door frame, his cane held in his left hand, Gideon was walking toward the living room area in order to retrieve a book to read while he sat outside to enjoy the evening sun when the man in his early Fifties heard the bathroom door unlocking, and the handle going down signalling his granddaughter's emergence. 

"Ah," Gideon said, as he stopped and turned on his heel to face the young teenager. "About Ti-" Gideon began before the comment died on his lips. Instead,

"Amelia what on earth have you done?"

Fourteen year old Amelia Anderson had the grace to look slightly guilty at the tone of voice her grandfather was using, as her blue coloured eyes (Matt's eyes) moved to the wood paneled floor.

"Well?" Gideon prompted upon seeing the teenager's guilty reaction. "Are you going to tell me? Or would you like to stay in your room until Matthew picks you up later."

At the mention of her father, Amelia bit her lip. Matt was a strict parent - not as strict as his own father, but rules had been put in place which Amelia didn't dare break. But this latest incident, didn't have classification in any of the rules set down.

Amelia sighed. "I'm trying out the colour before I need to make it permanent," the teenager explained.

"Permanent?" Gideon repeated. "Why on earth would you make your hair 'permanently' Blonde?!"

Amelia opened her mouth before closing it again. Whilst she had only been seven, Amelia was aware of when her parent's met, how they met, and how similar she looked to one of them. As the dates began to align with dates she was aware of from her own history, Amelia knew that she would have to change something about her appearance before events occurred. Her hair, being the most noticeable feature in regards to the similarity between herself and her mother, was the casualty in the appearance change.

"Now that Dad's got his job at the ARC, it won't be long until Abby and Connor come back to this time... and then a short while after that- dad and mum meet." she confessed as calmly as she could. "If I don't change something about my appearance, and if i meet my mum before she knows anything, it could make things really awkward."

Gideon's face softened slightly in understanding, as the older man gave a slow nod. While he knew his son would be happy sometime in the future, judging by the existence of Amelia, Gideon was not aware of all of the details as to how everything would fall into place. A Seven year old could only know so much, and Amelia had told the men everything she could remember over time to see if anything could help them stop the hell-on-earth future.

"Did you speak to your father before getting the peroxide?" Gideon asked after a short pause. As much as he understood his granddaughter's reasoning, Gideon was the girls guardian when Matt wasn't here, and that meant he was responsible for the reinforcement of his son's ground rules and parental duties.

Amelia shook her head mutely.

"Amelia," Gideon reprimanded, placing so much behind the teenagers name, she had the decency to look ashamed at her actions. The girl had a rebellious streak, there was no doubt; but this time, Gideon thought with a pointed look over his wire rimmed spectacles, his Granddaughter may have just pushed too far. 

"I know," Amelia sighed, "I should have asked him before doing it..."

"Yes, you should have." Gideon cut in. "How do you think he's going to react when he sees what you've done? Understanding would not be his initial reaction, Amelia." 

The older man sighed, and walked over to the teenager, raising a slightly frail hand to brush some fallen strands of blonde back over the fourteen year old's shoulder. Despite his slight agitation with the girl, he had to admit, the colour suited her. "How long will this colour stay in?" Gideon asked. "You said it wan't permanent."

"Two weeks - a month at most." Amelia answered quickly. "The box said it would gradually wash out." she explained, before biting her lip. "Do you think he's going to be mad?" she asked her grandfather. "Are you mad?"

Gideon put his arm around Amelia's shoulders, and pulled her into a half hug, before showing a rare display of affection and planting a kiss into her coloured locks. He bent his head slightly to catch the young girl's blue coloured eyes with his own, and gave her a raised eyebrow and slightly amused look. 

"Amelia, If I were to be mad with you - I assure you, I would have sent you to your room without asking you for an explanation." Gideon reminded his granddaughter. "As it is, however, there are... worse colours you could have chosen..." he reasoned, eliciting a weak smile from the girl.

"Well, it was either this," Amelia gestured. "Red or blue," she explained lightly, with a small smirk in jest (even though she had been half-tempted by the blue for a moment). "I'm rebellious, but I'm not suicidal."

Gideon laughed. "Yes you are getting to become rather rebellious young lady. Though, you're not as rebellious as your father was at your age, I assure you," 

Amelia looked up. "Dad was rebellious? seriously?" she asked, not quite believing her responsible father could be associated with the phrase 'rebellious teenager' when she knew how focused both he and her grandfather were in trying to prevent the future they lived in from happening again.

Gideon smiled at his granddaughter. "Yes, he was - very rebellious." he nodded, as he led Amelia down the hall with his arm around her shoulder, and the sound of his cane being the only other sound echoing in their wake. "At one stage, before coming here - perhaps it was before his rather unplanned trip to your original time - Matthew grew tired of the mission, and wanted to walk away from the responsibility it brought with it."

"Wow," Amelia breathed, as the two entered the living room, which was neatly arranged with bookshelves lining the walls, large windows looking out over the vast garden and a couch, two-seater and two arm chairs spaced around the room.

"Indeed," Gideon nodded, as he patted the teenager's shoulder. "Now, get your work finished and - if you get it done before your father arrives - you can show me this new telescope you've been looking to purchase."

"Really?" Amelia asked, her eyes alight. Since before her arrival into the lives of the Anderson men, the girl had always been fascinated by astronomy. One of the first things Matt had bought for the young girl to help her get used to this new time was a telescope, following the pairs previous encounter. This had in turn, reignited the seven year old's original hobby, and it had continued from then on. 

"I said you could show me - not that I would help you purchase it." Gideon said with a look. "After all, although you had the best of intentions - you didn't speak to Matthew about it, and went along with it anyway. I won't reward your rebellion." he elaborated, as he walked over to one of the rooms bookshelves. Finding a book, and turning around to move to one of the armchair's, Gideon found his Granddaughter hadn't moved. 

"Well, what are you waiting for young lady?" he asked, as he walked across the room. "School work," he said, pointing his cane at the disregarded bag on the other armchair.

"Yes, sir," Amelia nodded, finally moving to collect her bag and head into Gideon's study where he allowed her to work without fear of distractions.

Gideon shook his head, as he sat down with his book, and settled himself in before beginning to read.

* * *

Matthew Anderson shook his head, as he got out of his black 4x4 and headed toward his Father's countryside home. The day marked his introduction as the ARC's new team leader, and with it came the headache of clashing with the ARC's head of security, Captain Becker. At first, the topic of debate was Matt's idea for the security team to work in civilian attire, while today's topic was Matt's decision to order in non-lethal weapons. By the end of the day, if Matt could have chosen to face a dinosaur over Becker, he would have. Groaning inwardly, and wanting nothing more to go home - Matt reached the house and let himself in with a spare key Gideon had given him, and entered the darkened hallway before closing the door gently behind him before going in search of his father and daughter.

Amelia and Gideon were now both sat on the couch in Gideon's living room looking over a booklet of high powered telescopes Amelia was planning to purchase a telescope that could be connected to her laptop which would enable her to make electronic documentation and videos of what she saw on top of her own sketched pieces in her worn astronomy journal.

".. This should be able to capture images of some of the nebula's out of the range of my other telescope. Which would be cool.." Amelia was explaining as Matt walked down the hall, toward the open living room door.

"Interesting," Gideon nodded, as he heard his son's familiar footfalls reaching the door. "Good evening, Matthew," the older man called lightly, as Amelia instantly began to wish the couch would swallow her whole. 

Noticing his granddaughter's move, Gideon shook his head. "You only have your self to blame, Amelia," he commented, as Matt's figure appeared in the doorway.

"Evening," Matt nodded, as he entered the room with his jacket still on. He wouldn't be staying long, understandably. Hearing his father's comment, Matt's brow furrowed. "Why has Amy only got herself to - Amelia, what the hell have you done?"

Amy winced slightly, as her father finally noticed the blonde hair. Looking up, she could see the mix of tiredness, confusion and now, slight anger play across the Irishman's features and knew, that this was not a good day for Matt Anderson.

"Hi dad," Amy greeted nervously. "Um, I... dyed my hair..." she explained, knowing it was better to tell him the truth sooner, rather than later. 

Today is not my day, Matt thought as he brought his hand up to rub the side of his temple to relieve the headache growing there. First a healthy dose of Becker at work, and now a healthy dose of teenage rebellion at home - how did his father manage it.

"Get your stuff and wait for me in the car," Matt waved off. "We'll talk about this later,"

Amy nodded, and put the telescope booklet back into her bag, before giving her grandfather a hug, and pressing a kiss on his stubbled cheek. 

"Night, Gideon," she said, as she stood up, picked up her jacket, and quietly exited the living room to walk out into the warm evening to her father's car. She opened the passenger side door, and stepped up, before closing it and strapping herself in whilst waiting for Matt.

Matt sighed as the teenager exited the room, and the sound of a door gently closing sounded. Opening his closed blue eyes, Matt found Gideon had gotten to his feet. "Please tell me I'm just too tired," he asked the older man, as he brought his hand back down from the side of his face. 

"I'm afraid not," Gideon offered sympathetically. "She went straight into the bathroom and locked herself in there for an hour without a word. I was quite concerned until I discovered why," Gideon explained lightly. "She's informed me the dye is only temporary. She'll have the colour a month at most, it washes out."

"Unbelievable," Matt said, with a shake of his head. "Did she ask you about the colouring?"

"Not a word," Gideon said with a similar shake of the head. He would have consulted his son straight away. "Although she did tell me why she did it," he offered.

Ah, so she could tell Gideon, but not him. Terrific. "Why?"

"She mentioned something about her mother - and said that she needed to change something about her appearance due to the similarities she shared with her." Gideon explained. Amelia's mother was a topic that had never been discussed between the two men. All Gideon was aware of was that the his son and future daughter-in-law would work together in the ARC.

Matt frowned. "What?" he asked, before his frown softened as memories of he and Amy's first encounter flooded back. 

Emily was the name of his future wife, and - if Matthew recalled - his future counterpart had pointed out how similar mother and daughter were in terms of appearance, even when Amy had only been young. Matthew himself had seen the similarities, and the hair made them nearly identical.

"Oh," the realization finally came to the Irishman - but it had only lessened his anger slightly.

"Oh indeed," Gideon nodded, not quite sure of his son's train of thought in regards to this matter. Matthew had kept his unplanned 'trip' buried deeply, and while Gideon could read him on most issues - this was one of the very few he couldn't. Noting his son's appearance, Gideon decided it was best not to ask him about his day - they would talk in their scheduled call tomorrow. 

"Go home and get some rest, Matthew," Gideon said after a brief pause. "You need it." he added, with a quirk of his eyebrow.

Matt merely nodded. He felt like he hadn't slept in a week. But he knew he would have to speak to Amelia before he was able to get any rest tonight. The tension with Becker at work, he could handle. Tension when he came home, was not something Matt wished to arrive home to.

"I will... Good night, Gideon." Matt nodded.

"Good night, Matthew."

* * *

The drive back to their home, was a silent one between father and daughter. 

Only a few words had been exchanged, and that was Matt checking to make sure Amelia was strapped in before he began to drive. Tapping her fingers on her leg, Amelia didn't want to take Matt's concentration off the road, as she had noticed how tired he had been upon his arrival at her grandfather's home. While apart of the teenager welcomed the silence, the other part wondered how badly she had disappointed the man who had started off as her childhood friend, but who had become her father too.

Matt let out a sigh, as he brought the car to a stop near their apartment complex. Pulling up the handbrake, putting the gears into neutral, and turning off the ignition, the nearly Thirty One year old sat back in the drivers seat, with his eyes closed, and head tilted up toward the car roof. Beside him, Amelia hadn't tried to move in order to exit the car and was now instead sitting with her head slightly bowed, her fingers playing with frayed strings on the corner of the car seat waiting to see what he would say.

After a few moments, and with his eyes still closed, Matt spoke in a tired voice. "So are you going to tell me why you went behind my back, or are we just going to sit here all night - because I could do with sleepin' in my own bed tonight rather than the car."

Amy continued to play with the strings. "I'm sorry," she answered softly. "I should have asked you before I went ahead and did it," she said, repeating the earlier conversations she had with her grandfather upon his initial reaction to the sudden change in hair colour.

"Yes, you should have." Matt said pointedly, as he remained in his position. Amy ducked her head, as silence fell after his subtle reprimand. 

After a few moments, Matt opened his glazed blue eyes before turning his head to look at the teenager's posture - slumped shoulders, bowed head, and playing with the strings of the car seat she sat atop- and sighed, as he took in the tied back blonde hair that now glowed softly in the light of the late evening.

"I would have understood, you know, If you'd talked to me about doing it first." he commented. "Just because I'm working at the ARC now, doesn't mean you can't come to me about things. I thought we'd moved past the 'keeping secrets' years ago."

Amelia swallowed. "We did," she nodded. 

When she had first arrived in this time, Amelia wasn't as close to Matthew as she had been with her father. It had taken some time for the little girl to adjust to being around people who were similar, and yet at the same time, different from what she had grown up with. She knew Matthew had been more untrusting of people than her own father, but he had promised to never lie to the young girl - and she had promised him the same.

Matt raised his hand and moved it up to brush his finger lightly across Amelia's cheek softly. When the girl didn't move, Matt moved his head forward from the back of the seat and furrowed his brow. "Look at me, Kiddo... Please?"

Amelia raised her head, and met Matt's eyes which - even though glazed- didn't hold as much anger as they had when he had first picked her up. Even though he was her father - adopted, while at the same time, biological - Matt was also her closest friend, as weird as it sounded to anyone who didn't know them. 

Both being out of their original timelines, and not being able to openly speak of it due to obvious reasons, had brought with it a camaraderie between the man and young girl that had begun when Matthew had ventured into a world that was alien and hostile to him just over a decade ago - which had led him to getting a peek at his future, something he didn't think he would have with the mission he and Gideon had signed up for- and a chance meeting with a five year old who would give him hope.

"Look, I'm not angry about the change in hair colour, Amy." Matt spoke softly, "I'm just disappointed that you felt you couldn't talk to me about it first." he offered her a small smile, as he brushed his hand over her hair.

Amelia nodded in understanding, before speaking. "I am sorry." she said softly.

"I know." Matt sighed, as his hand came to rest at the nape of her neck lightly over the tied back hair. "Come on," he motioned as he removed his hand from her neck and to the clip of the seat-belt fastener. "Lets get inside."

"Okay," Amelia nodded, as she followed his lead and unclasped her seat belt, and reached over to the back seat to retrieve her bag. Matt picked up his phone, black box and wallet from the tray in between the two seats, before slowly getting out of the vehicle - followed closely by Amelia- and locking it. 

Waiting for Amelia to come around to his side, the Thirty year old put his arm around the teenager's shoulder as she reached him, and pulled her lightly to his side as he put his other hand in his jacket pocket before the pair walked up to the apartment they had lived in for nearly five years. Upon entering the apartment and reaching the top floor which held the main living area, Matt planted a light kiss into the girl's hair and patted her back gently. 

"Go and get changed," Matt said. "I'll get something prepared for dinner."

Amelia nodded, and moved toward the hallway past the open planned kitchen area where three plants were seen in glass bowls, as Matt shrugged off his jacket and placed his phone, black box, keys and wallet at the end of the counter-top. The teenager paused, remembering something.

"Hey, Dad?"

Matt always smiled at the title Amelia had given him the honor of bearing five years before and looked over to the teenager. "Yeah?"

"How was work?" She asked curiously.

Matt shook his head, and sighed, as Becker came to mind. "I'll get back to you," he said with a tired smile.

"Captain Becker?" Amelia asked, as she placed a hand on the wall.

Matt graced her with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah. How'd you guess?"

Amelia smirked. "I remember my... other... dad... often had the same look when he had a Becker induced headache"

Matthew chuckled softly. "How did he deal with such a headache?" he asked, not taking offense when Amelia made references to his future self and her original home.

Amelia shrugged sympathetically. "Can't really remember," she confessed. "But I think it involved shooting Becker 'accidentaly' a few days later - but Becker rarely gave him much of a headache."

"He shot him?" Matt said with a quirk of an eyebrow

Amelia shrugged, as she began to turn back toward the hallway she had been going down. "Only with an EMD."

Matt shook his head. "I'll keep that in mind," he called as the teenager could be heard at the end off the hall throwing her her rucksack onto the bed, before adding.

"Amy?"

Amelia's head ducked out of her room. "Yeah,"

Matt smiled. "The colour looks good on you, by the way,"

Amy blushed, and nodded her thanks, before ducking back into her room, while Matt watched after her for a moment, before he too moved to his own room to prepare for an evening meal with his daughter.


End file.
